West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini and Director of Football Mario Husillos are already planning their summer transfer business, according to reports.
Football London reports that two players feature on their summer wish-list: Guillermo Maripan and Maxi Gomez.
West Ham will have reduced funds in the upcoming window after spending over £100m last summer. But two La Liga players are being lined up.
Guillermo Maripan
Central defender Maripan has been a rock for Deportivo Alaves this season, playing a key role in their surprise rise to fifth place in the La Liga table.
The 24-year-old has played 22 games for Alaves in the league this season and has been identified as the man to solve West Ham’s defensive woes.
Standing at 6ft 4in tall, Maripan is dominant in the air and a threat from set-pieces, as well as being comfortable carrying the ball out of defence.
Pellegrini knows the Chile international well and the two countrymen could unite in East London.
Maxi Gomez
Gomez was West Ham’s number one choice in January when it appeared that Marko Arnautovic could head to China. The Hammers considered triggering his £43.5m release clause, as per The Guardian.
The 22-year-old has scored 10 goals for relegation-threatened Celta Vigo this season with last weekend’s strike being the first since before West Ham’s January interest.
Whether Celta Vigo suffer relegation or stay up affects his price but he is still likely to leave with Barcelona also keen, according to Mundo Deportivo.
But Husillos and Pellegrini hope to win the race for the Uruguay international. They believe he can solve the striker problem at West Ham.
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